Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-04-28
SAM CONNOR'S DEATH.
A WeIl-KnOWn Salt Laker Kills Him.
self in a Philadelphia Cemetery
the Day After His Wedding.
He Marries Kate r. MOffett, Of Cam
den, N. j., and Then Euds His
Life With a Pistol Shot.
His Peculiar ActiOns-The SUPPOSE
ton of Business Complications
Must be a Mistake.


Must be Mistake.
The account given below of the suicide
! in Philadelphia, of Sam Conner, maj
well-known in this city, will be grea
shock to his many friends throughout thu
West.
Mr.. Conner left Salt Lake the last day
of last year, and the next that was heard
of him in public way was the sad news
: of his death. He was best known here
as mining man, although he owned
some live stock. He has royalty OF
the Kersarge mine at Dry Canyon
and has many other interests through
out the Territory. Some five years age
he, in connection with James McGregor
sold a group of mines in Wood River fol-
500, 1000. Inquiry at the banks of McCor
nick & Co. and L. r. Jones & Co., where
he had accounts, reveals the fact that il
could not have been financial trouble
which led to the rash deed. In fact
everything goes to show that his financial
affairs were in a healthy state, and the
cause of his suicide must remain mys-
terry.
The following is the account of the
affair as given by the Philadelphia Times
of the 23d instant:
Samuel j. Conner, a native of Mauch
Chunk, the owner of valuable mining prop
erty in the far West, and who on Thursday
was united in marriage in Camden to Kate Il.
Mofet, shot and killed himself yesterday
noon in Monument Cemetery, at Fifteenth
street and Montgomery avenue. About IL
O'Clock yesterday morning man nodded to
and passed by policeman standing on Fiji
| teenth street, walked slowly down and en-
tered the Monument Cemetery. He passed
a gang of workmen in the cemetery several
times, speaking pleasantly to them on each
occasion. He was dressed in q suit of fine
broadcloth, wore silk hat and appeared to
be man of wealth. No particular attention
was given him, but the workmen noticed
| that he walked around in sort of preoccu-
pied manner, and that his time was spent
more in meditation than in anything con-
nected with the burial ground.
THE FATAL SHOT.
Several times he stopped and put his right
| hand into his coat pocket, acting as though
| he was intending to draw something there
from, but each time he shook his head and
passed on. For nearly an hour he wandered
meGitatively around, finally passing to the
rear of the cemetery. In less than ten min
utes after he was last seen pistol-shot was
heard about fifty yards from where the men
were at work. They all rushed in that
direction. James p. Crowell, of 1922 Park
avenue, was the first to reach the spot
The man was found lying in an open lot,
gasping for breath, while stream of blood
was flowing from a big bullet hole in his
right temple. In his right hand the man
still grasped a 42-calibre Colts revolver, one
chamber of which was empty. His aim was
almost perfect and he remainded uncon-
scious, taking his last breath ten minutes
after the shot was fired. The body was re-
moved to the Twenty second district station
house to await Identification.
MARRIED BUT ONE DAY.
The first thing found by the officers in
making search was a marriage certificate
dated Thursday, April q, 1887, certifying to
the marriage of Samuel J.. Conner to Kate
X. Mofett, by Rev. Isaac w. Bagley, at
Camden. Mrs. Eliza Bagley had signed her
name as a witness. Besides a gold watch
and chain in his pocket were found $S915 in
cash and three drafts, all drawn upon the
Park Avenue National Bank of New York
City, by the Firrt National Bank of Mauch
Chunk. They were all drawn in favor of
Samuel j. Conner, two being for $500 each
and another being for S252.25.
Nothing further was learned regarding
the man until late in the afternoon, when
Mrs. E. K. Walton, lady about sc years of
age, residing at 2015 Carlisle street, called
at the station hoase and identified the body
as that of her cousin, Samuel j. Conner a
native of Mauch Chunk, who has been do
ing business in the West for many years,
and who has been frequent visitor in Phil
adelphia.
Mr.. Connor arrived in this CITY last Mon
day and took rooms at the Bingham House.
He seemed to have plenty of money and
spent it freely. Nothing peculiar was no
ticed about him, and he appeared to be one
who WAS VISITING frianda in tho oit
BUSINESS COMPLICATIONS.
He called upon his cousin Mrs. Walton,
on Tuesday night. but said nothing about
his having any idea of marrying. In his
talk with Mrs. Walton he made several re-
marks which caused her to think that he
was having some little trouble in his bust
ness, but when asked he refused to say any
thing about it. He returned to the Bing-
ham House, and since then has been there
every night, going out only during the day.
The clerk at the Bingham says that Mr..
Conner went to his room alone on Thurs
day evening, about 8 O'Clock. He was daily
In receipt of communications, evidently
business letters, from Salt Lake City, Utah,
and Mrs. Walton says that he is the owner
of considerable mining property there. He
was ~ years of age and has a mother and
brother still living in Mauch Chunk. For
several years Mr.. Conner had been engaged
in many Western business ENTERPRISES and
In nearly all of them has been successful.
Another cousin of the dead man is Edwin
u. Warg, druggist at Eleventh and Arch
streets. Mr.. Conner, while not strictly a
temperate man, was never before known to
drink to excess, and the only sickness he
has complained of for years has been occa-
slonally sharp pain in the head.
Mr.. Warg said last night that he never
heard of Kate Moffett, to whom Mr.. Conner
was married, and the knowledge of his mar
rage was a great surprise to him.
The remains of Mr.. Conner were conveyed |
last evening to the residence of Mrs. Wal |
ton, on Carlisle street. Mr.. Conner's |
brother came down from Mauch Chunk last |
night to take charge of the remains.
THE BRIDE AND HER FAMILY.
Rev. Isaac w. Bagley, who performed the |
marriage ceremony, was seen at his resi- |
dence, No. sos, Broadway, Camden, last !
night. He said that Mr.. Connor came to his !
house last Monday and Tuesday to arrange
for the ceremony and then came with his |
future bride, about IL o'clock Thursday
morning. The bride, Mr.. Bagley described,
as being about "a years of age and rather
prepossessing. He said she was a daughter
of Truman Moffett, Jr., who resides at 2O13
Carlisle street, Philadelphia. Mrs. Conner,
the bride and widow, would not be seen
last night. Her brother said the whole
family, and especially the bride, were !
greatly shocked and that there were circum- !
stances about the affair which they were !
endeavoring to keep from the public. He
refused to say anything further.